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Cold Steel,blades
Hello.Whats the general opinion of ,Cold Steel,these days?Have the blades and tangs improved any?Thanks
1796 Saber
I can add this much: I purchased a 1796 saber for the blade, which is being used for a non-related project. As I was disassemblying the guard and hilt, the knucklebow snapped clean in two!! I was just potmetal that had been polished up. Very brittle and cheap! The blade is okay...overly heavy...but acceptable...barely. :\ Very disappointed in the overall quality. George Osborne
Re: Cold Steel,blades
Karl Knisley wrote:
Hello.Whats the general opinion of ,Cold Steel,these days?Have the blades and tangs improved any?Thanks


The general opinion is that cold steel's swords are too heavy, if usually solidly made.
Cold Steel Blades
Most of their swords are now being made by Windlass. Like the 1796 Cavalry saber. I had an original, made by Thomas Gill. On the back of the blade was engraved "Warranted to Cut Iron". I let myself get talked out of it, which was a great mistake. I still have a Polish version of the sword. The blades on these sabers are verylight, and very thin at the last 6 inches or so of the blade. They were made that way. the idea was that they would cut very deep, but being very flexible, would easily pull out as the cavalryman rode past. It worked very well ( and was one of the best sabers produced by the Brits.) If it was needed, then it was also easy to straighten out, but a blade off a very degrees from true is not going to bother a cavalry trooper cutting down. As was stqted, most of their swords are way too heavy.....
I wonder if there is a market for an accurate 1796? People have tried to con everyone by saying that these are the "Blucher" sabers and that they were heaqvier, but thats just a con job.
Quote:
Most of their swords are now being made by Windlass.


Mr. Reinhardt
Would you consider the blades made for Cold Steel swords on the same level as the blades made for Museum Replicas
or better?
Cold Steel
Well, the ones made by Windlass will be made the same way and by the same people that make the blades for MRL. From what I have seen, I can't tell any difference.
Cold Steel
Whoops, I forgot to add that I also think that the blades are too heavy.....but that was when they were made in China. I have one Chinese sword that started out as a Viking sword, but I changed it and put on a medieval style grip. Its only a triffle heavy, and cutrs quite well. From what I heard the main problem with the Chinese was the consistency, or lack thereof.
Here is a discussion of a CS 1796 saber that address "accuracy."
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s...adid=68298
I handled one of their hand and a half swords a year or so ago, didn't think it felt too bad from a weight standpoint. I have read (here I believe) that the tang is a bit thin and not very strong, and is also threaded. Some people were complaining that when they tried to cut with them, they'd break rather easily, despite the claim that they are "combat ready", whatever that might mean. I believe that I would tend to consider them simply decorative pieces if one were to come into my possession. Unfortunate too because I've owned a couple of Cold Steel knives over the years and have found them to be quite rugged.
I had read this thread and it started something stewing but I hate to speculate. With Hank mentioning many Cold Steel swords now being manufactured by Windlass, it begs an answer to whether Windlass might also be the shop behind the offerings from Military Heritage.

It has been written that the 1796 and Blucher from MH are in fact the same as the CS. This, along with the CS "1830 Napolean" and a couple of the baskethilts at MH do show striking similarities.

I'm still curious to see good pictures of the new Cold Steel 1860 cavalry sword but it does seem to suffer from the same blocky and round grips we see on some Military Heritage sabres and the "classic" Civil War swords that have graced Atalanta Cutlery pages for many years.

So, I guess my main supposition is that Windlass may indeed be behind what we see at Military Heritage. I wish there were some way to confirm that.

Cheers

GC
Glen A Cleeton wrote:

So, I guess my main supposition is that Windlass may indeed be behind what we see at Military Heritage. I wish there were some way to confirm that.



Have you emailed or called Military Heritage to ask who makes their blades? That might be an easy way to end speculation.
I have sent a letter of inquiry to Miitary Heritage and await their response. They are notoriously bad at returning mail.

Calling them is certainly another option but I'm likely to spend first and ask questions later;)

I was simply somewhat suprised to hear that Windlass was supplying Cold Steel. If they also supply Military heritage, it would go a long way to explaining the price point they are able to maintain.

Cheers

GC
Robert B. Allison wrote:
I handled one of their hand and a half swords a year or so ago, didn't think it felt too bad from a weight standpoint. I have read (here I believe) that the tang is a bit thin and not very strong, and is also threaded. Some people were complaining that when they tried to cut with them, they'd break rather easily, despite the claim that they are "combat ready", whatever that might mean. I believe that I would tend to consider them simply decorative pieces if one were to come into my possession. Unfortunate too because I've owned a couple of Cold Steel knives over the years and have found them to be quite rugged.


I can agree - I've handled the hnh last year at the IWA show in Nuremberg and found it rather heavy and not well balanced - compared with other swords this size and price range (eg. Hanwei Albrecht).
But at this year's IWA show I handled a hnh which was much lighter and well balanced!!

So regarding Hanks information my conclusion is, that last year I got an old chinese model and this year one out of the windlass production.
So maybe I'll give it a try and purchase one :cool:

Thomas
Hello
To raise a zombie thread:-) I`am very tempted to get one of their new English backsword. Does anybody have one yet?
If so could you chime in with your views?

Thanks
Karl Knisley wrote:
Hello
To raise a zombie thread:-) I`am very tempted to get one of their new English backsword. Does anybody have one yet?
If so could you chime in with your views?

Thanks


Yes. Cheesy goodness. Plastic ray skin and a bit more gaudy than the Hanwei mort overall. Definitely more of a cutter than the Hanwei. The fittings on the sword and scabbard are ferrous (magnetic). Blade stock is 6mm. Linear distal taper to 3mm. Reasonably sharp out of the box. Back edge not sharpened. Found at about $220 shipped a couple of months ago. More room for bigger hands. I am curious about the Windlass, I may buy one just to know but with the dollar vs pound, may go with an Armour Class. Or, nothing else for me for awhile. I have just a few pictures at this point. It may pass the thirty foot rule visually and handling will be subjective. So far, I kind of like the handling but hate the plastic grip and cheesy wire. Everything about it smacks modern.

Cheers

GC


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How is the balance and handling on that English Backsword?
Roger Hooper wrote:
How is the balance and handling on that English Backsword?


What is shown on the table kind of points to my flexibility with handling likes and dislikes. I kind of like it and to me, a fairly neutral dynamic. Frankly, I am more impressed with the handling than the visual. As mentioned, those wanting a larger basket may be happy. I wear size 12-13 (US) glove size and don't feel too cramped in the Hanwei, While I know some with smaller hands feel cramped in the same basket. Handling can end up the same way, with one likes what another doesn't.. That was true at this particular gathering, where the samurai guy felt out of practice with one hand. I am way out of practice with cutting and slew a goza mat with fair ease. I honestly don't recall the pob (I remember measuring it) but I handle enough single hand stuff from a couple hundred years ago to say I can deal with it and find it acceptable. From light smallswords to "wristbreakers" my evaluation of this one gets a neutral feel to me. I can't even give you an accurate weight but there is so much hilt weight, steerage is pretty good without a lot of trailing throttle oversteer (Porsche 911, ass heavy momentum).

Costume and cutting.

Cheers

GC

Edit to add a couple of numbers (I still like the handling this morning)

POB Roughly 3.75in/9.5cm

About 2lbs 12oz/1.25 kilo (spring fish De-liar)

Add a pound for the scabbard
Their swords my only experience is in buying their 1917 cutlass as a fun all round EOTW zombie sword knowing it would be a basic, untapered production item. It turned out to be even more overbuilt and heavy than I wanted, cutlass techniques were a bit difficult to do, so I decided to destructively test it rather than keep or sell it. It chopped up several wooden transport pallets, pierced and sliced some thin sheets of corrugated roofing tin and chopped down some medium sized palm trees too boot. Apart from the black finish , no blade damage.

Machetes- I bought their 'Cutlass machete' which is not a bad bush clearing tool for the very cheap price. However metal is noticeably softer than that used in the other long machete makers such as Condor and OKC and you spend more time sharpening it during work.

For interests sake their '1917 cutlass' cuts deeper than their 'Cutlass machete'.

I know of another gent using their Gladius machete to good effect hunting hogs with dogs. Rates its as a good sticker.
Cold steel
Hello hello,

I like cold steel. But only at best for an entry level blade. When you pass the $300 mark. Start looking for other makers
They do fall apart and their scabbards arnt the best but they still come with scabbards which is pretty cool.

I have had several. The 1796 was fun. Heavy and not mad like the original but better then windlass or cas.

Saying that though, are their swords made by windlass?

By them on sale or don't get them
Check out their new line...they look abslutely similar to actual Dynasty Forge models. I have purchased the new German Longsword for a steal price at Knifecenter and its a well-balanced, very elegant weapon with a top-notch scabbard. I would put it slightly above Valiant Armory level...yeah blasphemy, i know. Whatever. It surely surpasses my VAs in fit&finish. I will post some pics in the "your last sword" thread...
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